Friendship Conquers All
by Aguachica
Summary: Blink is Self-Abusive/suicidal. Mush tries to save him. Rated for violence/depressiveness.


Friendship Conquers All  
  
By Aguachica  
  
Rating: PG-13 for violence and self-abuse, which can be very sensitive  
subjects for some people.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Blink stood in front of the mirror. Tears were slowly leaking from his good eye. He didn't understand why no one understood. He raised the piece of metal to his shoulder and brought it down, hard.  
  
Once! Twice! The self-beating continued until Blink collapsed, exhausted and gasping with pain. But he was smiling. He smiled his sunny, carefree smile down on the metal piece. It was his best friend, really. Who else could cause such relief from the normal world? Who else could slip, unnoticed, into his hand or pocket? Who else could be with him always, never straying from his side? No one, that's who.  
  
He looked at the welts on his shoulder. He traced them lightly and was pleased to sense bruises forming. After all, bruises lasted longer that welts.  
  
His smile faded as he thought back to what caused this outburst. /Why couldn't she see? Why does the woild hate people like me?/  
  
He had been dating a girl. /Goils/, he thought bitterly, /they are the roots of all the world's problems. I'd be better off without them./  
  
This particular girl had seemed different. Special, somehow. /Like there's any such thing/, that angry little voice said. Her name was Kitty, and he had begun to love her. Every time he saw her, his heart had leapt up and he couldn't help grinning like a fool. Things were going fine. until they went swimming.  
  
*flashback sort of thing*  
  
He had purposely left his shirt off, just to impress her. That will be known as mistake number one. Kitty had recoiled at the sight of his bruised and scraped chest and arms. She reached out and touched his hand lightly.  
  
"Who did this to you?" That's when he made mistake number two. Perhaps he was hoping that she would be sympathetic. Perhaps he was wishing she would hold him, tell him it would be okay. That she would help him through this. Whatever it was, he opened his mouth and told her the whole story. How it felt so nice after he had hit himself. How the pain left his mind so clear and sharp.  
  
Kitty pulled away from him sharply. Instead of love and sadness in her eyes, there was hate and fear.  
  
"I must be going. There was something I forgot to do."  
  
He watched her leave and then, pulling his shirt over his sore body, reveling in the fresh stabs of pain it brought, he walked home. It was an agonizingly long walk.  
  
*end flashback sort of thing*  
  
/And that's why I'm standing here./ Then he looked down at his piece of metal and that smile slowly returned. /Who needs girls when I have you?/ He thought as he lovingly stroked it's cold, comforting surface. He gazed happily at it for a few more moments before tucking it safely into his pocket.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Blink left the washroom, Mush entered it. Mush was becoming increasingly worried about his pal. Blink had started collapsing into himself lately. When they sat together at Tibby's, Blink's eyes would start glazing over and he didn't seem to hear a word Mush said. As soon as Blink's last papers were sold, he would practically sprint back to the Lodging House and lock himself in the washroom for hours.  
  
Mush had vowed to find out what was going on, so he figured that this was as good a time to investigate as any. He examined the washroom closely. He noticed-that it looked exactly like a washroom in a Newsies Lodging House should.  
  
Mush's shoulders slumped and he sat down dejectedly. This detective work was harder than it looked in the flickers.  
  
Blink was starting to get seriously annoyed. Mush had been hounding him for the past few days. He couldn't go anywhere or do anything without Mush being right there.  
  
Mush had always been Blink's closest friend, but is innocence could get on a guy's nerve. Blink simply didn't want to entertain friends right now; he wanted time alone with his metal!  
  
Mush had started insisting on waiting for Blink in the washroom. Blink, after seeing that there was no physically possible way to shake his shadow off, started spending time locked in one of the stalls, beating at his skin and wishing for a mirror.  
  
After three days of this, Blink decided to try a new tactic. Instead of grudgingly putting up with Mush as he had been doing, he was going to be No- More-Mister-Nice-Guy. He opened the door and walked over to Mush, who beamed up at him, eyes shining.  
  
"Get out of my way!" He snapped, pushing Mush aside. The shine in Mush's eyes stopped abruptly, and was replaced by a dull, hurt, confused look. Heart aching, Blink walked out of the washroom, slamming the door behind him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mush sat there, stunned. Blink had always been his best friend, allowing him to do everything with him, even when some of the older Newsies said he was too young. He had never even been cross with Mush before, and certainly never pushed him! Mush huddled into a corner and mentally reviewed all the clues he had as to what was wrong with Blink. He was doing something he didn't want anyone to know about, and he needed privacy. It was making him grumpy if he didn't do it, and it was all he wanted to do.  
  
Mush then had a brilliant idea. All this spying and being supportive was clearly annoying Blink. Soon, he vowed, he would come out and ask him.  
  
Blink stood before the mirror again. He was starting to look worse. He had found that if he went to the washroom around on in the morning, he could have the mirror back. /His mirror/, he thought happily.  
  
He viewed his handiwork. His body was looking worse, or, as it looked to him, better. /In fact, it looks poifect!/ He frowned slightly. /The only bad part is, I'se running out of skin./  
  
He pulled out his new toy, a small knife, and stared at I in a sort of awe. He had never gone so far before. /But a slit with the knife couldn't be any woise than beating your skin open, could it?/ He reasoned./ I'se just gonna start out with a small cut, just to see what it feels like./  
  
He traced a mark on his arm, hesitated a bit, and then pressed down swiftly before lifting the knife away. A thin red line was visible for a second before a wealth of red fluid bubbled up. It caressed over his arm and onto the floor. He smiled at his new toy. It was even more fun than the metal!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mush walked into the washroom that morning. He felt pleased that Blink hadn't been staying in the washroom all evening. His pleasure vanished when he slipped on something wet and cold.  
  
The other Newsies laughed at the sight of Mush lying on the l\floor, staring up at the ceiling. Mush just waved them away. He knew this was Blink's favorite washstand, and he was very certain that he'd just slipped in something horrible. He examined the bottom of his feet and his fear was confirmed. His feet were covered in blood.  
  
The Newsies had gone, evidently heading to the Distribution Office. He suddenly bolted upright and started getting dressed. He knew what he had to do now. He had to find his best friend. He had to find Kid Blink before he lost him forever.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Blink sat in the empty seats. Medda had kindly let him spend the day in Irving Hall, after he explained that he needed some time to himself. He had seen Mush, of all people, slip in the pool of blood he had forgotten about. If Blink could be sure of anything in the world right now, it was that Mush knew. And when Mush knows a secret, you can't help but be a little worried.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mush arrived at the Distribution Center five minutes after the others. They stood in the line, joking and fighting with each other. Mush felt something strange shoot through him. It was such a foreign feeling that it took him a moment to realize what it was. It was anger. Anger that they could stand there and laugh while Blink's life hung in jeopardy.  
  
He looked for Jack and found him, as usual, at the front of the line. "Jack!" He screamed.  
  
Jack looked up, slightly annoyed at having the story he was telling to David interrupted. "Yeah, Mush?" She yelled back, a little more forcefully than was polite.  
  
"Where's Kid Blink? I gotta talk to him, now!"  
  
Jack rolled his eyes. Mush was always pretty clueless. He probably could have looked around him and seen for himself that Blink wasn't here. "Does I look like 'is muddah? How should I'se know where he is? Blink's older den you'se. He can look after 'imself!"  
  
Mush gave a silent scream of frustration and ran out to the streets. He stopped an elderly gentleman. "'Scuse me, sir, have you'se seen a one-eyed newsboy? 'E's blonde and."  
  
The gentleman had shook his head and pushed by him. Mush sighed. "'Scuse me, lady, have you seen."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Blink shuddered. He almost couldn't believe that he was finally doing this. He looked at the words carved on his wrist.  
  
"'Unfair'" he whispered softly to himself. "It's true. The world hates anyone who ain't exactly like it. The streets is filled with filth. What has the human race done to itself? People hate, people hurt, people kill. Once you'se realize that, who would want to stay here? You'se only have to watch the human race grow steadily worse and wonder why they can't see. Why would they destroy the earth? No, it must be better somewhere else."  
  
Blink raised the knife again. /Oh, God, someone stop me before I'se does this./  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mush dashed toward his nearest clue. Finally an old lady had said she had seen a poor orphan boy with one eye go that was minutes ago. Those poor dears, selling papers and wasting the best years of their lives. Mush would have loved to stay and listen to her, but there was no time left. Excusing himself he ran to where she had pointed.  
  
During his flight, he saw a familiar place. Irving Hall stood, in all its glory, by him. It struck him that that would be the ideal place for Blink to go. Medda would protect him and no one would bother him until the sun fell. /That is/, Mush thought, /if there will be a nightfall for Blink/.  
  
With that thought burning in his mind, Mush opened the doors to Irving Hall, praying that he wasn't to late.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Blink jumped and dropped his knife in alarm. The doors had been thrown open and someone was running to the seating area. Curious, Blink stayed where he was and waited.  
  
Mush came through the doors. "Blink!" he cried, and he ran towards his friend.  
  
Blink, thinking about what happened next, realized he had been stupid and careless. He should have been alert and, even though Mush assured him that it was a careless mistake, felt very guilty.  
  
Mush had almost reached him when he screamed and fell. Blink, very alarmed, jumped forwards to catch him. Mush curled his leg under him to try to ease the pain.  
  
That's when Blink caught sight of a silver gleam at the top of Mush's foot. Mush had stepped on the knife that Blink had dropped.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mush felt something go into his foot. The pain was so bad that he couldn't control his reactions. He screamed and lost his balance as he tried to take the weight off his injured foot.  
  
Someone was there, comforting him. His mind blurred with pain, but he thought it must be Blink. The last thing he thought before passing out was /Good. Blink must be okay, then/  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Blink was racked with guilt. He stared down at his unconscious best friend and tears started forming. The knife that hurt Mush was Blink's knife. His knife. He had left it lying on the floor, and Mush had gotten hurt. He had as good as stabbed Mush himself.  
  
Mush's foot was bleeding badly, and Mush was starting to look paler. /I've got to get him out of here! He needs a doctor!/  
  
Blink wrapped his arms around Mush's body and lifted. Nothing happened. Mush was simply too much bigger than Blink for him to carry. Blink tried several more times before slumping in defeat.  
  
To his surprise, Mush's eyes fluttered open. He almost cried in relief. He bent over so he was in Mush's line of vision and prayed Mush could hear him.  
  
"Mush, we need to get you out of here. Can you stand?"  
  
Blink's heart sank when, after an impossibly long pause, Mush started shaking his head.  
  
"C'mon, Mush, can you try it? For me?"  
  
Mush hesitated a little bit, and then began sitting up. Blink rushed to help him and soon Mush was standing. It seemed that the blood loss had affected his thinking skills, and he didn't seem to realize what, exactly, was going on. He wouldn't put any weight on his injured foot, and Blink didn't argue. Mush would probably faint again if he did.  
  
Blink knelt down and helped Mush lay himself over his shoulder. He straightened up, staggering slightly under Mush's weight, and headed out of Irving Hall.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Outside of Irving Hall, the hustle of the crowd seemed oblivious to the plight of the two newsboys. Those who did notice looked sympathetic or calculating, but none stopped to help. And after living on the streets of New York all his life, Blink knew better than to ask for help. The streets were filled with people-or demons-that loved nothing better than to prey upon the innocent and helpless.  
  
Luckily, the doctor was only a few buildings away. Dr. Keitel was a kindly young German immigrant who had started his career only a few years ago. He was known for his affordable prices, and he would reduce the price for Newsies and others who couldn't afford to pay.  
  
Blink set Mush down gently in a chair (he had again lost consciousness), and Dr. Keitel rushed forward.  
  
"Mein Gott! What happened to this boy?"  
  
"He stepped on a knife, Doktor. He's lost a lot of blood. Can you help him?"  
  
The doktor could never refuse a patient, especially a young one. "Can you pay, eventually?"  
  
Blink nodded. "I will get the money. Somehow."  
  
Dr. Keitel nodded. "I'm going to have to charge you five dollars. If you can't pay, talk to me and I'll work something out for you. Now go! Schnell! This wound will have to be stitches, in the very least. I need to see if it went through the bone or not. I have work to do now!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Blink ran to the lodging house, then remembered that no one would be there, so he headed for Tibby's, where most of the Newsies would be eating or hanging out.  
  
The Newsies looked up as he entered. "Hey, Blink, Mush was looking for you this morning." Jack said casually.  
  
Blink tried to contain his anger. "He found me. And he's hoit."  
  
Several of the Newsies started when they heard this. Mush was well liked by all and no one, not even Skittery, could refuse to help him out.  
  
Racetrack Higgins jumped up and grabbed Blink's shoulders. "Well? What 'appened? Where is 'e?"  
  
Blink winced when Race's hands pressed on his cuts and pushed him away. "Calm down, Race! Geez! Mush is at Dr. Keitel's. He stepped on a knife and hoit 'is foot. I just needs some money to pay the bill."  
  
Jack immediately looked rather suspicious. "'Ow much?"  
  
"Five bucks."  
  
Racetrack immediately pulled out two dollar bills. Everyone looked at him in astonishment. "I'se picked a real beauty at the tracks. Won by three lengths! 'Sides, it's for Mush."  
  
Jack put a dollar in. After seeing their leader put money in, all the Newsies followed suit. Soon Blink had enough money to pay for Mush and to buy him food and pay is fee while he couldn't sell papes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Blink was waiting in the office for Mush. Dr. Keitel refused to let him stay while he finished stitching Mush's foot. "I would fear for my life if you were there!" He protested to Blink's promises that he wouldn't interfere.  
  
The door to the back room opened and Dr. Keitel peered out, smiling. "You can see him now. He will wake soon."  
  
Blink walked into the room and saw Mush lying, asleep, on the bed. He sat beside him and gently smoothed his hair back. "I'm so sorry, Mush." He whispered.  
  
Mush's eyes opened slightly. "S'okay. Not your fault."  
  
Blink refrained from yelling in surprise. He contented himself with squeezing Mush's hand gently. "Hey, Mush! You'se awake! How d'you feel?"  
  
Mush yawned. "S'okay. My head hurts, though."  
  
Blink laughed quietly. "You'll be back to normal in no time, I promise."  
  
Mush's eyes focused on Blink. "What about you? Will you be normal too? No hurting yourself?"  
  
"Of course I will."  
  
"Promise"  
  
"I promise."  
  
"Good." And with that, Mush fell back asleep.  
  
A/N:  
  
Blink!muse: *sarcastically* Doesn't this story make me feel loved.  
  
Mush!muse: Well, she did decide to spare you in the end.  
  
Blink!muse: That's only because Kitty, the inspiration of Aguachica's angst fics, was knocked out and gagged by Agua, the writing inspiration, who finished the story herself.  
  
Agua: You weren't supposed to know about that! How did you get to be so stunningly intelligent, Blinky-baby?  
  
Blink!muse:. Leave me alone. 


End file.
